How to Transplant Holly Ferns

Holly ferns (Cyrtomium falcatum) add a lush, dramatic element to shade gardens with their glossy evergreen leaves and erect growth habit, which reaches 2 to 3 feet in height at maturity. They thrive outdoors year-round within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 to 10, although holly ferns must be divided and transplanted every few years to rejuvenate their growth and maintain their appearance. Holly ferns transplant well in spring and will quickly reestablish themselves; however, the divisions must be planted at the same depth as the original parent plant to ensure their long-term health and well-being.

1

Transplant holly ferns into a bed offering full shade or dappled sunlight and organically rich, draining soil. Avoid areas with sandy soil or places where water pools excessively after rain.

2

Prepare the transplant site before digging up your holly fern. Spread a 4-inch-thick layer of acidic compost, a 1-inch-thick layer of poultry grit and a sprinkling of bone meal across the bed. Work the amendments into the soil to a depth of 10 inches using a cultivating fork.

3

Measure out a 2-inch radius around the base of your holly fern. Dig along the 2-inch mark to a depth of 6 inches using a pointed shovel or handheld spade. Carefully work the blade underneath the holly fern and pry loose the root ball.

4

Lift the holly fern from the ground and fill in the hole left by it. Cut the holly fern into equal portions using a sharp, clean gardening knife. Make sure each division has an equal share of roots and foliage so it will survive the transplant process with minimal damage.

5

Dig a planting hole for each holly fern division. Make the holes just wide and deep enough to accommodate the rootball. Space them 18 to 24 inches apart. Settle the rootball into the prepared hole and press the soil in against it.

6

Spread a 1-inch-thick layer of pine bark mulch around each holly fern immediately after transplanting them. Lift the fronds around the edges and push the mulch in against the base of the plant.

7

Water the newly transplanted ferns thoroughly. Maintain moderate moisture in the soil for the first summer after transplant. Increase watering during drought, or whenever the fronds droop during periods of high heat.

Things You Will Need

Compost

Poultry grit

Bone meal

Cultivating fork

Pointed shovel

Gardening knife

Pine bark mulch

Tip

Feed transplanted holly ferns one month after transplanting them with 14-14-14 fertilizer diluted to half strength.

About the Author

Anastasia Leon began writing professionally in 2001. Her experience as a horticulturalist and nurseryman informs her work, which has appeared in publications such as Mother Earth News and Modern Farmer. Leon is a certified master gardener and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of California, Santa Cruz.